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CRIME, A UNIVERSAL PROBLEM

NCJ Number
60895
Author(s)
F A GROSS
Date Published
1977
Length
187 pages
Annotation
ANTISOCIAL ATTITUDES DEVELOPED FROM EARLY CHILDHOOD, NEGATIVE ASPECTS OF THE WOMEN'S LIBERATION MOVEMENT, AND OTHER CAUSES OF CRIME IN SOUTH AFRICA ARE EXPLORED. TYPES OF CRIME AND TREATMENT MEASURES ARE CONSIDERED.
Abstract
THE EVOLUTION OF A DYNAMIC AND EFFECTIVE SYSTEM OF REHABILITATION IS AN ASPECT OF THE CRIME PROBLEM THAT CONCERNS ALL COUNTRIES, NOT ONLY SOUTH AFRICA, BECAUSE ANY SOCIETY IS JUDGED BY THE MEASURE OF RESTRAINT IT EXERCISES AND METHODS IT USES TO DEAL WITH CRIMINALS. ATTENTION SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON ANTISOCIAL ATTITUDES THAT CAN BE ROOTED IN EARLY CHILDHOOD AND CERTAIN NEGATIVE ASPECTS OF THE WOMEN'S LIBERATION MOVEMENT IN RELATION TO THE INCREASE IN AND TYPES OF CRIME COMMITTED BY WOMEN. OTHER AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE IN THE DISCUSSION OF CRIME AS A UNIVERSAL PROBLEM ARE FEMALE INMATES, THE MIND OF CRIMINAL GANGS, CRIME AND POVERTY, CONCEPTS OF A CARING SOCIETY VERSUS INDIFFERENCE TO HUMAN LIFE, RELIGION AND CRIME, KILLINGS BY GOVERNMENT, PRISONS, THERAPEUTIC JAIL TREATMENT, CREATIVE ACTIVITIES IN PRISONS, PROBLEMS OF FAMILIES WHO MUST WAIT FOR THEIR IMPRISONED RELATIVES TO BE RELEASED, MUGGING, AND SHOPLIFTING. THROUGHOUT THE BOOK, USEFUL ALTERNATIVES TO IMPRISONMENT ARE SUGGESTED, ALTHOUGH IT IS EMPHASIZED THAT THE MOST VALUABLE AND PRACTICAL ASPECT OF REFORM IS TO KEEP PEOPLE OUT OF PRISON. A CALL IS MADE FOR UNDERSTANDING AND TREATMENT OF CAUSES RATHER THAN SYMPTOMS ASSOCIATED WITH SOCIAL UNREST AND VIOLENCE. AN INDEX IS PROVIDED. (DEP)